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My wife picked up her new X5 5.0 last week. Yesterday, with less then 400 miles on the car, a deer attempted to jump across the country highway she was driving. She didn't even see the deer until it appeared in her windshield, 1/100 of a second before impact. Because the deer was jumping and in mid-air, the first thing it hit was her windshield. Then somehow it flipped onto the roof, destroying the sunroof, and also flipped onto the driver's side, smashing the passenger window and door. Had to be towed, due to the windshield damage. The car, however, was still drivable, and probably helped save her life. The police who showed up were amazed she wasn't hurt, or that the car hadn't flipped.

X5 saved her life, or at least prevented significant injury. My guess is 10-15K of damage.

Seriously, thank you for your thoughts. The deer was a 100+ lb buck, BIG one. Not long after the accident, two guys in a pickup stopped, threw it in the back, and kept on going. Which is illegal in TX (can't take a roadkill deer, have to leave it for the wardens).

Amazing she wasn't hurt. The more I think about it, the more I realize just how lucky she was (ok, me too!).

Same thing happened to me a few years ago, with only slightly less repair costs. I asked the dealer what the post-repair loss in value would be and was told $4-$5 k. Of course, the car was fully repaired with no residual deficits.

A few years later I traded with the same dealer, who knew about the prior damage. I was given the KBB trade number with no prior-repair write-down.

OK, now that you and your brother in law got the buck home and dressed out -- who gets the backstraps? Sorry about the car, but very happy your wife was not hurt! Have seen some pix from AK where people were not so lucky hitting a moose! One of those things that you cannot possibly anticipate or avoid, glad things worked out the way they did.

One of those things that you cannot possibly anticipate or avoid, glad things worked out the way they did.

Thank you. And everyone for your kind words and thoughts for my wife.

I remember one of my driving instructors telling me "no accident is avoidable". He used to say with proper "offensive driving, defensive driving and situational awareness", one can avoid any accident (I've paraphrased his words--it's been 40+ yrs ).

And to this day, I drive with those words in mind. I don't want to be right, I want to be accident-free. Especially driving a 550i--I have no desire to lose the battle and win the war. I want to win it all! So I always drive with an incredibly high degree of SA and defensive driving. Which is not always easy when you drive a BMW to the limits of its abilities, as I like to do.

But dammit, I think this was unavoidable. The frickin' deer was in mid-air when it hit her car. Tough one to see coming.

I remember one of my driving instructors telling me "no accident is avoidable". He used to say with proper "offensive driving, defensive driving and situational awareness", one can avoid any accident (I've paraphrased his words--it's been 40+ yrs ).

And to this day, I drive with those words in mind. I don't want to be right, I want to be accident-free. Especially driving a 550i--I have no desire to lose the battle and win the war. I want to win it all! So I always drive with an incredibly high degree of SA and defensive driving. Which is not always easy when you drive a BMW to the limits of its abilities, as I like to do.

But dammit, I think this was unavoidable. The frickin' deer was in mid-air when it hit her car. Tough one to see coming.

I agree. Where we live there are many two lane roads with wooded areas on both sides that come right up to the side of the road. Speeds of 45-50 mph. If a deer decides to jump out at the very last minute there will be no time to react.

Wow, glad she was OK. Looks like impact on winshield, then sunroof, and B post? Glad she had the moonroof door shut. I'll remember that when driving through deer country. I always close it when driving through "Falling Rock" areas as well.

Wow, glad she was OK. Looks like impact on winshield, then sunroof, and B post? Glad she had the moonroof door shut. I'll remember that when driving through deer country. I always close it when driving through "Falling Rock" areas as well.

Moonroof was cracked open a few inches for fresh air. The interior of the car had broken glass everywhere. It was from the moonroof and the passenger window.

First, sorry about this. Bummer. I call them Rats with Antlers. Fing PITA.

Good news is that this isn't chargeable- it should be comprehensive and not collision (I think, this is true in CA if not most states)

Bad news is that there is no DV.

Here is the big issue: Will the repairs impact the rollover/crashworthiness of the car? Any time it get into the structural pillars I get concerned. YOU will not make any headway on this with your insurer...but if you find a SHOP with a knowledgeable tech who is on YOUR SIDE, they can press the issues with the insurance. Make sure whoever you take it to will have your back at the end of the day. If it is one of your insurers ""Certfiied Shops" recognize that they can be conflicted by the volume of other business that comes from the insurer.

PS Wife nailed a deer in the MDX. Before I had a chnace to drop in at the body shop the following weem, I was driving it and a deer RAN INTO THE SIDE of the car. Two separate claims. The insurnace agent didnt even blink- "Yup, that time of year"

PPS You may wish to take a series of pictures to document the work, for eventual resale, etc, etc......

Sorry about this accident - deer are a menace in Maryland. Glad no one was physically injured - I know it's little consolation but cars are replaceable. Your insurance company may not "hold it against you" re: rate change. Locally Geico at least claims they will not raise rates with a deer collision.

Didn't realize there were deer in Texas, by the way. When we have people visit here from the South/Southwest they can't believe that there are so many deer in our neighborhoods - the deer just wander around and seem more numerous than squirrels.

I see way more deer here in Austin, Texas than squirrels. They have no predators, except for cars! I need to post some pictures of a buck that lives in my neighborhood. Probably 120 lbs field dressed!

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenF12400

Didn't realize there were deer in Texas, by the way. When we have people visit here from the South/Southwest they can't believe that there are so many deer in our neighborhoods - the deer just wander around and seem more numerous than squirrels.

OP, I am glad your wife is OK. Most of you probably know this, but if you want to minimize the possibility of hitting a deer, try to find out when the deer rut is in your area, typically lasts 1-2 weeks. That time of the year and 1-2 weeks prior to that (so called pre-rut), the bucks are cruising around looking for a mate. Filled with testosterone, they have little regard for humans or vehicles. The does, chased by these bucks, tend to be unpredictable as well as they are trying to run away from their “suitors”. Rut time combined with the shorter day light can make driving treacherous in states with high deer population.

I am an avid deer hunter (not very good at it though ) and l love the pursuit of this beautiful creature. In large parts of the country, humans are the only predators keeping the deer population in check.

And jsut FYI- deer bodies tend to 'spin' on impact, and the 'skipping of body panels' is not unusual. (Hit the fender, then somehow missted the drivers door and hit the passenger door again....)

One thought- I'd want a BMW dealer to do the work on the sunroof, compelte disassembly, cleaning of all particles of glass, then reinstall and calibrate- IMO body shops are great at paint and trim, but iffy on 'bmw specific' stuff. One of my pet peeves is when a shop breaks hidden clips/fasteners, uses non-stock fittings to reassemble, etc, etc.

Glad you're wife is ok.. Sorry for the pun, can't help it.
My wife had an accident on our old 01 X5 more than a few years back on her birthday. She was turning left and hit by an oncoming Subaru. Subaru lost, probably totalled though the driver wasn't hurt - my wife had scratches from the deployed airbag. Most of the X5 damage was on the front right fender and axle.. BMW dealership did the work. Total damage was about $21K. This is one of the reasons I'm loyal to the BMW brand...

This accident also reminded me when my brother hit a horse - yes a horse - with his Honda Civic.
Horse landed on the roof, my brother landed on the ER... He was ok with cuts from the broken glass... Two horses apparently got out from somebody's farm... This was in Sacramento area in CA... Civic was totalled, horse was killed as well...